When I came to my senses, I was sitting on a rock in a beautiful plain.
A blue sky stretched above, dotted with fluffy clouds.
A gentle breeze carried the scent of flowers.
A landscape so familiar unfolded before my eyes.
“…I’ve ended up back here again.”
This was likely the final regression.
The starting point remained the same. It was shortly after the Hero’s Party was formed.
I had returned to that moment when we had set off on our journey, filled with grand dreams.
Turning around, I saw my three companions gathered around a pile of firewood, chatting as they prepared to start a campfire.
At this moment, I had simply stepped away to get some fresh air.
It was right here, during this very moment of gazing blankly at the scenery, that I had repeated the time loop countless times.
“The regression… is gone.”
It felt like a dream.
I no longer had to struggle desperately to survive.
If I died, that would be the end.
There would surely be chaos in the future, but that no longer mattered.
From now on, I would live each day as an ordinary person.
“Haah…”
I let out a deep sigh and remembered everything that had happened.
After possessing a character in the world of this novel, I had grown up from childhood and aspired to become a hero.
I had overcome endless trials and had nearly achieved my goal.
But in the end, I failed to overcome the final hurdle…. and died.
As I lay dying, I cursed my fate in despair. Yet, for some reason, I came back to life.
And so, the regression began.
For a brief moment, I rejoiced at the chance to start over.
But no matter how hard I struggled, I couldn’t escape tragedy.
In the end, my homeland fell, and I failed to protect the people I cherished.
The Demon King’s army was simply too powerful.
No matter what I tried, I couldn’t change the course of fate.
There were many reasons for my failures, but what tormented me the most was this party.
I had tried so hard to accommodate my companions.
I had endured countless hardships, getting dragged around and witnessing all sorts of absurdities.
Each of them carried their own burdens, but the worst of them all was the mage.
She was the very definition of a cursed fate.
“What are you doing?”
Speak of the devil.
Claria, the mage who took the rearguard role in our party, had appeared beside me before I even noticed.
“I have a lot on my mind.”
“Don’t keep it all to yourself. If something’s bothering you, talk to us!”
“No, it’s fine. It’s a personal matter.”
“If you say so, I won’t push… but still.”
Claria sat down beside me, leaving a slight distance between us.
Her bewitching upturned eyes and golden hair cascading down to her waist—
It was the kind of beauty one wouldn’t easily forget after seeing it once.
She tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear as the breeze played with them. Her fingers moved with a grace both unhurried and elegant.
That simple motion was enough to capture my gaze.
“We’ve been acknowledged as heroes and placed under great expectations. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say we’re carrying the kingdom’s future on our shoulders. It’s truly an honor.”
Opening with those words, Claria turned to me with a bright smile.
“I understand if you feel pressured. I’m always nervous too, wondering what the right path forward is.”
“…….”
I didn’t respond.
I simply sat there, listening to her speak.
“If I had been alone, I would have crumbled long ago. I made it this far thanks to my comrades. So… Theo, you should rely on us a little too.”
After saying that, Claria waited for my response.
They were nice words to hear.
But the truth was entirely different.
To sum it up, she was essentially telling me not to cause any trouble since we were on a fast track to success.
A hero officially appointed by the king was treated with respect wherever they went.
No matter which village they visited, they were welcomed with open arms and received generous supplies without issue.
Of course, great responsibility came with the title, but the hardships would only be temporary.
In a few years, a new generation would take over, and as long as they endured until then, both wealth and honor would be theirs for the taking.
Such a future would never come due to the Demon King’s invasion, but Claria remained utterly convinced that a bright tomorrow awaited her.
If she hadn’t given up the regression….
Is she just putting on an act…?
I had definitely relinquished the right to turn back time.
Yet, Claria was no different from the countless versions of her I had encountered before.
Either something had gone wrong, or I was mistaken.
It had to be one or the other.
“Alright, I’ll talk to you about it sometime soon.”
For now, I gave a safe, noncommittal answer.
“Okay! Feel free to reach out anytime!”
Claria beamed at me with a dazzling smile.
Then, she rose from her seat and started humming a tune as she made her way back to the other party members.
She had probably come over because I looked troubled.
There had been some issues around this time, after all.
Having subtly warned me, she likely considered her job done.
If there was ever a fox, she was one.
Did she really believe she was being considerate?
In the end, I was always the one who struggled to keep the party from falling apart.
***
Why did my regression have to start at this exact moment?
I had pondered that question many times.
There was no way to know for sure, but I had my own theories.
After all, the hero’s party was the key to conquering the Demon King.
Since we had just set off on our adventure, this was a fitting starting point.
But the party lineup left much to be desired.
—If a monk doesn’t like the temple, the monk should leave.
It wasn’t as if I had never acted on that thought and left on my own.
But it had always led to a miserable end.
A hero was still a hero, no matter how flawed.
This party was composed of the strongest adventurers in the kingdom. Leaving them behind and expecting things to go well was nothing but wishful thinking.
Maintaining these relationships was crucial to defeating the Demon King.
Not that it mattered to me anymore.
***
“—So, I think it’d be best to stop by the northern villages first and gradually build up our reputation.”
Evening.
We were gathered around the campfire, warming ourselves as we rested.
It was then that Louis, the knight clad in plate armor, brought up our plans for the future.
Charging straight into the Demon King’s castle without enough information would be reckless, so his strategy was to clear out the surrounding areas first and raise our fame.
“I’m in favor. Our teamwork still isn’t perfect, and we need more battle experience.”
“There’s a famous dungeon on the way! Let’s stop by and loot some treasure!”
When Claria voiced her agreement, Louis looked to be pleased and quickly added another suggestion.
“What do you think, Parne? Theo?”
He turned to the remaining members, seeking their opinions.
“I-It sounds like a great idea…!”
Parne who was the youngest member of the party and a spirit mage responded timidly.
Normally, I would have agreed as well, making it a unanimous decision.
But this time, I didn’t.
“I’ve heard that the dungeons in the northern region aren’t worth the effort. Most of the monsters have already been exterminated, and there won’t be any treasure.”
That was a fact.
Even if it was something I had learned in another timeline, I had thoroughly explored that dungeon myself.
And there had been nothing.
It would be a pointless detour.
“Isn’t it too soon to say that for sure?”
“Actually, I’ve looked into it before. There’s a dungeon in the eastern region as well, so how about heading there instead?”
Louis furrowed his brows.
“Didn’t you say before that you wanted to go north?”
“That was just my personal preference. But considering our route, the north isn’t a great choice.”
“I can’t really agree with that. What do you guys think?”
Louis turned to Claria and Parne.
“I’m fine with either option.”
“I-I don’t really have a preference…”
Both gave neutral responses.
But to me, it looked like they were just trying to gauge Louis’s reaction.
“Come on, just pick one~. North or East. Which do you think is better?”
“You’re really making this difficult… If I have to pick one, I guess I’ll go with North? Louis has good instincts, after all.”
“Right? I knew you were on my side, Claria!”
What a joke.
A year from now, Louis and Claria would become a couple.
Since she already had feelings for him, it was only natural that she took his side.
Knowing that, I found it sickening how he deliberately steered the conversation to get the answer he wanted.
He acted like he was considering everyone’s opinions, but in reality, he just wanted to guide the party in his own direction.
“What about you, Parne?”
“I… I’m not really sure.”
“Haha, fair enough. With two in favor and one against, we’ll head north this time. Theo, sorry, but I hope you understand.”
Louis. A warrior and specifically a swordsman which was the most respected profession.
He was obsessed with recognition and had a strong sense of pride.
The type who believed, without a shred of doubt, that he was meant to lead others.
I wouldn’t go so far as to call him intolerable.
However, in a party where unity was crucial, a narcissistic nature was nothing short of poison.
Because of that, the party had fallen apart before.
As the crackling of the campfire filled the silence, I quietly made up my mind.
“I’m sorry, but I think we need to revise that plan as well.”
“…What?”
Louis tilted his head in confusion.
“You guys can go to the northern village on your own. I’ll be leaving the party.”
Not just Louis…. Claria and Parne, too.
They all stared at me with their eyes wide in shock.
“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“Exactly what I said. Starting tomorrow, I’ll be going my own way.”
Whatever happened to Claria was no longer my concern. What mattered was that I had undoubtedly lost my ability to regress.
In other words, this was my final life.
I was now just another ordinary person in this world, no different from anyone else.
So, this time, I wanted to live for myself.
Leaving the party was the first step toward achieving that simple dream.
***
There was some arguing, but my decision remained firm.
Eventually, they seemed to realize they couldn’t stop me, and my departure from the party became an undeniable fact.
Just one more night, and I would be free.
I enjoyed the feeling of liberation and began to prepare for sleep.
“Are you sure you don’t want to take back what you said about leaving the party?”
Hearing a voice from behind, I turned around to see Claria standing there with her hands on her hips.
“No. If you’re trying to convince me, just give up.”
“Why are you acting like this? Louis is doing his best to bring everyone together. Wouldn’t it be better if we all just worked things out?”
I clenched my teeth.
Bring everyone together?
Work things out?
Watching Claria shamelessly say such things with a straight face left me speechless.
Louis was nothing compared to her.
The truly cunning one was standing right in front of me.
Even in the original story, she had been described that way. And in reality, she was no different.
Claria’s dream was to succeed.
She wanted to rise to a high position, bask in praise, and enjoy a comfortable life.
The reason she subtly took Louis’s side was probably because he had the brightest future ahead of him.
Unlike me, who had clawed my way up from the bottom, he was a naturally gifted prodigy with limitless potential.
“It’s only been a month since we pledged our loyalty to the king. But now, if a member suddenly leaves because of internal conflict, how do you think we’ll be able to return to the capital? What will people think of us?”
“They’ll think we’re pathetic, obviously. There’s never been a case like this in any hero’s party before.”
“You know that better than anyone…!”
Claria scowled and glared at me sharply.
That cold, spiteful expression….I had seen it plenty of times before.
In front of others, she always played the part of a sweet and lovable person, but it was all an act.
She wasn’t nearly as kindhearted as she pretended to be.
“Say whatever you want. I’m not staying in the party.”
I stated it firmly.
She must have finally realized that there was no point in continuing this conversation.
Claria bit her lip tightly.
“…Fine. I’ll let Louis and Parne know.”
“Alright.”
For a moment, I thought she was going to leave quietly. But of course, she didn’t.
“Now that we’re at this point, I might as well say it. I never liked you from the start. Despite having little to show for it, you somehow managed to get chosen as a hero. To be honest, I never thought you were on our level.”
She wasn’t wrong.
Before my regression, I hadn’t been a particularly outstanding adventurer.
I had barely qualified for the position by making use of the knowledge I had as a transmigrator.
“It actually works out for the best. In the long run, it’s better if only the elites remain. Thanks for leaving on your own.”
So, now that persuasion had failed, she was trying to win a battle of wills.
Good.
At least she had made sure I wouldn’t regret my decision.
I was grateful that she had finally shown her true colors.
Because of that, I could start my new life with no lingering doubts.
“Glad to hear it. Looks like things worked out just the way you wanted.”
At my mocking remark, Claria scoffed, then let out a short “Hmph.” before turning away.
Even in the end, she stayed true to herself.
Either way, this was the conclusion.
I could endure a few petty insults from people I would never see again.
After everything I’d been through, my patience had been pushed to its absolute limit and then some.
Tonight, I would finally sleep in peace.
Pulling the blanket over myself, I closed my eyes.
…
……
………
[The first regression of Claria has been completed.]
[A new timeline has been activated.]
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